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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. tear — from crying
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cue — for pool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — a signal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — a subject
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tear — to rip
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com